Transmission control mechanism



1949. J. c. AUTEN I 2,478,356

TRANSMISSION CONTROL MECHANISM Filed April 24, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

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Aug. 9, 1949. J, c, AUTEN 2,478,356

TRANSMISSION CONTROL MECHANISM Filed April 24, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

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Patented Aug. 9, 1949 UNITED TRANSMESSION--CONTROL MECHANISM 1 day fixfl iteny-ficyal Qak, "Mich; assigfro'r to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park,* -Mich.'; a i

corporationofDelaware ApplicationAprilM, 194G, Serial No. 664,520 (Cl;"74-'-484-) This invention" relates to transmission" controlmechanisms and more particularly to"improvements in transmission remote shift mechanisms especially adaptedLfor mounting on motor vehicle steering. posts.-

It has become'common ,practi'ce in theautomotive art to provide a manually operable lever o'peratively connected to a control rod which'is usually mounted on and parallel to 'thes'teerin'g column of the motor vehicle. This leveris used by the driverto controlthes'electionand change the usual linkage operatively connecting the shift lever with the transmission permits the control rod and lever to'have a certain amount of is'ubstantially unrestrained movement in 'a plane normal to the axis of the rod independently of the transmission. Road shock and vibration whip the parts about throughout the limits-of this-possible unrestrained movement. This "whipping motion is magnified by the length of the control lever and its mass with its inherent mechanical advantage increases the tendency to whip; This Whipping causes-rattles, is unsightly and on occasions attains sufiicient amplitude \toactuatethe control mechanism whenthis is not desired.

It is an object of my invention to'providea mounting for the control mechanism which will" dampen the vibration and Whipping thereof and which will minimize rattlesin the-control system.

It is a further object to provide a mounting Which will perform these functions and .not'have the performance thereof affected by temperature or humidity changes. Previous devices .Which have been proposed as solutions to the problem have had erratic performance because-of thefact that performance characteristics of materials used changed with-the temperature and humidity Previous devices were alsorunable to provide uniform performance =throughout-the period of r operationoi-the moton'vehicle because of the 2 relatively short "life of friction"inaterials'used. A further'obje'ct fo'fmy inventionis'to provide "a device "which \vill"have"'a life substantially equal to "that of the motor "vehicle "and "throughout which its performance willbes'ubstantially uni- Further objects and advantages "of-my inventionreside" in 'the'combinationand arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed'ireference beinghadt'o the-accom anyingdrawings in which?" Fig! 1 is a side elevationai'yiew "of a typical power iplantandste'erihg Wheel installation "-for "a motor" vehicle showing"my "invention applied thereto. 7

Fig; 2 is a plan view oithesteering wheerand driver 'operableshift' lever as -viewed bythe vehicle driver.

Fig. 3 is Ta sectional elevation al'view throfigh the control lever "and "mountingmeans foil-"the control shaft and lever.

Fig. 4 is a side"elevational'view'of theupper end of the controlro'd"and"theextension thereon.

Figf'fi is an "end View or thief-Fig.4 "device? Fig. 6 is 'a' side"viewof'thefbushing"to'be'assembled in the'mounting. V

Fig? 7 is a plan 'view' of theFigrfi bushing:- Fig.8 is 'a'p'erspe'ctive viewers'spririg'tope assem'bled'inthemountirig.

. Fig; 9 is an'end'eie'vatiohal"view'insection of a modifiediorm of 't'heFigL' '3 device.

Fig; 10 is a perspective"view"ofthe'bushing shown'in the Fig? 9 assembly.

Fig. 11 is a side levatiUfiHlifieW bf'a modified form of pin which may-be 'useu in theFig'. -9 as- 'Fig. '12 is a ,plarrview of the pinshown in Fig. 11.

.13 is a perspective vievv'partlylbroken'away of a modified form of bushi'ng'"and r'od"assemoly.

In the drawingsl'fhave' illustrated iny invention in connection with' a motor vehicle comp'rising the'well known engine A, clutchl B, and a'nft'ype of transmissionC vvlhich isad-apted to'be manipulated at leastin part by the vehicle driver. "In

general, my invention provides improvements in the transmissioncontrol Jnechanism mountings illustrated in may copending applications Serial lIo. 586,498, now-Patent 2N9? $42,159; "Serial 649,193, new PatentNd-2;432,f7.lo; seilal N0. 649,-

194, now Patent No. 2,442,634; Serial No. 649,195, now Patent No. 2,432,7 1; Serial No. 649,196, now Patent No. 2,440,217; and Serial No. 649,197, now Patent No. 2,436,186, and may be employed to advantage in mounting of various types of controls other than those illustrated in these applications. For brevity, my invention has been illustrated herein as used in conjunction with the control mechanism described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 649,193, although I do not consider its application to be limited to use in conjunction with this control.

My invention provides a means for mounting the control mechanism on the conventional steering post [5 below the'steering wheel Hi, this steering post having its axis inclined forwardly and downwardly from the steering wheel. A main control rod D extends longitudinally adjacent the post l5 and is adapted to select and operate the transmission control elements for forward and reverse speed ratio drives. When rod D is adjusted from a neutral position in the direction of its axis, such motion is transmitted through any suitable operating connection, such as through the Bowden wire H, to the transmission selector lever l8. When rod D is rotated about its axis as shown in Fig. 2 such motion i transmitted through any suitable operating connections, such as through the link and lever system I9, 29, 2 I, to the transmission lever 22 thereby to operate the transmission speed ratio control element which has been selected by longitudinal movement of rod D.

Rod D may be suitably guided adjacent its lower end to accommodate its rotary and longitudinal movements as in the bracket 24 mounted on post I5. Adjacent its upper end rod D is guided by my invention which will be described herein.

In the particular form of control lever and rod illustrated herein the rod D has its upper end formed with a flattened laterally elongated leverforming head portion 29 slotted at 3|] and 3|. The slot 3| opens outwardly at the lever portion of head 29 and slidably receives the operating pin 32. The slot 39 is vertically elongated to slidably receive a second similar pin 33. A shift lever E comprises a hollow steel tamping terminating outwardly in a handle or knob 34 adapted to be grasped by the driven in manipulating lever E. At its inner end, the walls of lever E form a housing for the rod head 29. The pins 32 and 33 are fastened to the side walls of lever E. The housing portion of lever E opens downwardly at 35 and for providing a slidable fulcrum mounting of lever E, lever fulcruming rocker 36 are carried by the lever. These rockers or cams are formed adjacent the lower boundary of opening 36 having shift lever supporting faces adapted to bear on the upper face of a stationary washer to be described herein. Rockers 36 are spaced from each other at opposite sides of the axis of rod D, the rockers extending in the general direction of the shift lever E so as to intersect a plane through the axis transversely to lever E.

The pins 32 and 33 supported between the depending side walls of lever E and cooperating with the slotted formation of the lever head 29 effect lift of the rod D in response to lift of lever handle 34 and also maintain lever E positioned against undesired displacement in the direction of its length transversely to the rod axis, and cooperate with the rockers 36 and my mounting to guide up and down shifting movements of lever E. The pin 33 and vertically elongated slot 3|! serve to hold the lever E in position lengthwise thereof and at the same time allow the head 29 to be displaced upwardly within lever E when the latter is lifted to effect the selecting axial shift of rod D. A more complete description of the control lever E and its operative connection to rod D may be found in my copending application Serial No. 649,193.

The novel means for mounting rod D and lever E on the steering column I5 is illustrated in Fig. 3. A hollow bracket 4|] is fastened to the steering column as shown in Figs. 1 and 9 by a collar 4| preferably integrally united with the bracket. As explained in my copending application Serial No. 649,193, a stationary washer 42 preferably formed from molded and sintered powdered metals and having a lubricant content therein acts as, a fulcrum against which lever rockers 36 react.v Washer 42 is inserted in the upper surface of bracket 40 and surrounds rod D. However, it should be understood that the washer 42 is only included in the assembly in bracket 49 because it is required by the particular control lever construction illustrated. Other control levers could be used and bracket 40 modified to satisfy their requirements.

A cylindrical mass of fibrous friction material 43 is compressed around rod D and retained within bracket 40 by shoulder 39. Material 43 is preferably retained in a steel case 44, as is well known in the art. This material is the compressible medium used to effect alignment of shaft D with its mountings in bracket 24 at the lower end of rod D. Any misalignment due to manufacturing tolerances of the bearing surfaces provided adjacent the ends of shaft D would cause shaft D to bind if these surfaces were rigid. Therefore, the compressible material 43 is provided to compensate for any slight misalignment. In addition, the fact that the fibrou friction material is non-metallic permits it to operate as a noise dampener.

A cylindrical bushing 45 is retained within bracket 40 by a snap ring 46 which cooperates with a groove 47 formed in the internal surface of bracket 49. In my preferred construction a steel washer 4B separates bushing 45 from snap ring 4'! so that any pressure exerted by bushing 45 is distributed over a larger area. Bushing 45 has a longitudinal opening 49 providing a clearance fit around shaft D to permit alignment to be made by material 43 for the reasons explained in the preceding paragraph. Bushing 45 is preferably formed by molding and sinterin powdered metal or metals of dilferent melting points in a manner now well known in forming porous metal bearing of the self lubricating type as, by way of example, set forth in patent to C. A. Tea 1,927,619 of September 19, 1933, and to W. G. Calkins et al. 1,927,627 of September 19, 1933. Lubricant may be provided in the form of graphite included in the metal mixture supplemented or substituted by fluid lubricant absorbed by immersing the bushing in lubricating oil then to be exuded to the friction surfaces of the bushing.

A spring 50, preferably having three tangs 5| exerts an axial force on bushing 45 and reacts against a steel washer 52 which abuts shoulder 53 of bracket 4|].

A means is provided to permit unrestricted axial movement of rod D and to force bushing 45 to be carried by rod D when the latter is rotated by manual operation of lever E. Bushing 45 has two diametrically opposite longitudinal slots 54 cut on radii thereof. These slots extend from the stanzas -=-upper-surface downwardthroughout iaiisubstan- -tial portion ofi-the length oSfLbushlrigJSMW-hen the-bushing 45 is assembled in thebrack'et the slots are preferably -aligned with theicontrol-lever E. Rod D has ahole 55 drilled therein normal to l the rod axis and parallel to: the elongatedhead portion 29; Theends' of hol-e 55-are-counterbored 1 as at 56. A-fleikible m 51 having substantially the samediameter ashole 55=is assembled therein, preferably bya press fit. ThB WidtI-i oislots 54 is determined as substantially equal to the diameter ofpin 5'! so that a sliding fit is obtainedi lhe u- -diameter ofpin 51 may be var-'ied 'but li -"have obtained satisfactoryresults using -about =-inch diameter spring-wire to-iorm pin 51. It will-thus l be seen that when lever -E is-operated to raise or flower rod D thepin 51"can freely-travel in-slots 54, but when rod D is manuallyrotated pin 5'|and ---bushing 45 will be carried'thereby and rotated.

The construct-ion described above is adapted to restrain vibration of shaft D by means which are substantially unaffected bytemperature changes, humidity changes; or continued use? -Anyforce "tending to oscillate shaft D must first'overcome the friction caused; by rotation" of bushing 45 under the pressure of spring 50. The friction is created betweenbushing 45 and "washer 48" and between bushing- 45 and spring 50ian'd between spring 50 and washer 52; It is alsopossible that friction between washer 48 and snap ring 46' and 1 between washer 5 2 and shoulder 53 is on occasion added thereto. Theself lubricating construction ofbushing 45 prevents squeaking. on the most important friction surfaces. 1 The pin 51 and slot 54 are preferablyparallel to the control lever E for if they were transverse .thereto the slight. misalignment. of the rod D caused by lifting lever E and permitted by compressible material 43 would cause pin 51 to bind in slot 54. Theflexibility of pin 51 serves to decrease the amount of noise occasioned by pin 51 striking the sides of slot 54. Manufacturing tolerances permit a slight lateral movement of pin 51 in slot 54.- When'pin 51 is rigidly :constructed a slapping noise is produced by the impact ofth'e' pin with the surface of thebushingiorming the slot. A flexing of the pin 51 decreases the amount of sound produced by the "contact.

Fig. 9 illustrates a modified form of my invention wherein a rigid pin Ell is substituted for flexible pin 51. The friction created by forced rotation of bushing 5| as described above with regard to the Fig. 3 construction is the means for eliminating whip of lever E. The bushing 5| in the modified form differs from the bushing 45 of the Fig. 3 construction in that the slots 54' are larger to accommodate pin 60 and slots 54 do not intersect the upper surface of bushing 5 I.

Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate a modified pin 60 which may be substituted in the Fig. 9 construction for pin 60 and which is flexible like the pin of the Fig. 3 construction. The flexibility is ob tained in this form by axial slots 6| which leave relatively thin and flexible prongs 62 in engagement with bushing 5| in slot 54'.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a modification of the Fig. 9 construction wherein the rod D is slotted instead of bushing 5|. The bushing is merely provided with aligned holes 83 to receive pin 60 which penetrates slot 64 in rod D.

Rod D could, if desired, be splined or otherwise connected to bushing 45 so that a relative axial motion is permitted while the parts are restrained from rotating independently of each other.

r tIselaim:

1. In Inaaesteeringcolumn mountedwontrolimecheaanism .fomselectively. nperatingspeedsratio.;conis .trols' of armotor:vehicleitransmission,..aeimain.ro- 5;.11511210163. and aEBCiFI'OQatOIiy .control ;rod.-.having its ais'axisisextendingi-generally longitudinally ofagthe a ,steeringucolumn and: adaptedwfor operative'connanectiorr with the transmission; bearing-.means ad- 51. .giacenta. the loweraend ofgsaid .column, to, support 10,. aid.rodiand mounting meansadjacent .theupper tend ofisaidrod toisupportsaid rod,:said mounting ;azmeans;...compris-ing a housing. fastened; to vsaid ansteeringacolumn; flexible ;means, carried. by; said housing and forming a bearingqfor said. rod, the

15. flexible nature. ofassaid vmeans 1facilitatin ..a1ign- .;ment of ..the, rod. ,with :said bearing means on the (men end; of..said;..c.olumn, a cylindrical ,molded nd sintered' powdered'metal bushing loosely surounding said .rod ,,.said;bushing., being rotatably nmounted insaidzhousing, spring acting. on said .cbushingeandreaoting on @said, housing, said; housngehaving an abutment adapted toengagesaid ushing meansto rotatesaidbushing with-said aerodgwherebylfriction between said abutmentend 5.:said bushing'between said. spring and saidbush- .ming and between.- isaidcspring and. said housing .s resists rotation of said rod. 7

2. In-a steering column mounted control -mech- ,anism1:for selectively operating-speed ratio controls of a motor-:vehicle transmission,;a rotatable and reciprocatory control rod having its axis ex- .w tending generally,longitudinally of the, steering column andv adapted for ,,operative connection w with the,.transmission,rmeans tofmanually'rotate aid rod, a housingiastened tosaidsteering. colrun, a. bushingarotatably: and slidably mounted in aid housingrspr-ing means sliding said bushing -1nto.=.icontact with africtionsurface carried by 'l." said: housing, .saidzbushingihaving .a slot therein aoipara'll'el to. said rod, :a flexible .pin .projectinglat- -'era1lyfrom.isaid: rod and.-..engaging said slot to otatelsaid rod and said bushing as a unit,where- .1 by friction ibetweensaid bushing and said housing esists:.rotation ofQsaidrod and fiexure of said in .minimizesmoise produced'by the impact of aids-pinwith the side of -said slot when said od is rotated.

F :3; In a steering-column mounted control mechezranism forselectivelyoperating speed ratio controls of a motor vehicle transmission, a rotatable and reciprocatory control rod having its axis extending generally longitudinally of the steering column and adapted for operative connection with the transmission, means to manually rotate said rod, a housing fastened to said steering column, a bushing rotatably and slidably mounted in said housing, spring means sliding said bushing into contact with a friction surface carried by said housing, said bushing having a pair of diametrically opposed slots therein parallel to said rod, a flexible pin projecting laterally from said rod and engaging said slots to rotate said rod and said bushing as a unit, whereby friction between said bushing and said housing resists 65 rotation of said rod and flexure of said pin minimizes noise produced by the impact of said pin with the side of said slot when said rod is rotated.

4. In a steering column mounted control mechanism for selectively operating speed ratio controls of a motor vehicle transmission, a rotatable and reciprocatory control rod element having its axis extending generally longitudinally of the steering column and adapted for operative connection with the tranmission, a housing fastened to said steering column, a bushing element rotatably mounted. in said housing, said. bushing element having an axial hole extending throughreciprocation of said rod element relative to said out its length, said rod element being received in said hole, a pin carried by one of said elements, said pin extending in a direction normal to the axis of said rod element, the other of said elements having an axial slot penetrated by said pin, spring means engaging surfaces of said housing and said bushing under pressure, whereby movement of said pin in said slot permits reciprocation of said rod element relative to said housing a and friction between said bushing and said housing resists rotation of said rod.

5. In a steering column mounted control mechanism for selectively operating speed ratio cona unit, said bushing comprising a body of sintered powdered metal having a lubricant content whereby friction between said bushing and said housing resists rotation of said rod,

6. In a steering column mounted control mechanism for selectively operating speed ratio controls of a motor vehicle transmission, a rotatable and reciprocatory control rod element having its axis extending generally longitudinally of the steering column and adapted for operative connection with the transmission, a housing fastened to said steering column, a bushing element rotatably mounted in said housing, said bushing :i

being formed of sintered powdered metal having a lubricant content and having an axial hole extending throughout its length, said rod element being received in said hole, a pin carried by one of said elements, said pin extending in a direcnormal to the axis of said rod element, the other of said elements having an axial slot penetrated by said pin, spring means engaging surfaces of said housing and said bushing under pressure,

housing and friction between said bushing and said housing resists rotation of said rod.

7. In a steering column mounted control mechanism for selectively operating speed ratio controls of a motor vehicle transmission, a rotatable and reciprocatory control rod element having its axis extending generally longitudinally of the steering column and adapted for operative connection with the transmission, means to manually rotate said rod, a housing fastened to said steering column, a bushing rotatably and slidably mounted in said housing, spring means sliding said bushing into contact with a friction surface carried by said housing, said bushing having a slot therein parallel to said rod, a pin projecting laterally from said rod and engaging said slot to rotate said rod and said bushing as a unit, whereby friction-between said bushing and said housing resists rotation of said rod.

In a steering column mounted control mechanism for selectively operating speed ratio controls of a motor vehicle transmission, a rotatable and reciprocatory control rod element having its axis extending generally longitudinally of the steering column and adapted for operative connection with the transmission, means to manually rotate said rod, a housing fastened to said steering column, a bushing rotatably and slidably mounted in said housing, spring means sliding said bushing into contact with a friction surface carried by said housing, said bushing having a pair of diametrically opposed slots therein parallel to said rod, a pin projecting laterally from said rod and engaging said slots to rotate said rod and said bushing as a unit, whereby friction between said bushing and said housing resists rotation of said rod.

JAY C. AUTEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

